What to read and watch to understand Germany’s troubled 20th century
This article is part of our Summer reads series. Visit the full collection for book lists, guest essays and more seasonal distractions. As war rages again in eastern Europe, Germans are reminded of the ravages of the world wars and the horrors of the Nazi and communist regimes that governed their country.
Olaf Scholz, the chancellor, says the post-war order, the longest period of uninterrupted peace the heart of Europe has ever known, is under threat. Opinion polls suggest that many Germans are fearful Europe could be on the brink of an even broader war. This selection of novels and films, all available in English, helps to explain how Germans saw the troubled 20th century.
The works of fiction span the two world wars and two dictatorships that shaped Germany. Rheinsberg: A Storybook for Lovers. By Kurt Tucholsky.
Translated by Cindy Opitz. Berlinica; 96 pages; $12.95 and £12 “Tucho", or Kurt Tucholsky, is an author much loved in Germany for his wit and sparkling writing, but he is known to few readers outside the country. “Rheinsberg", a novella, was the journalist’s breakout success in 1912.
It recounts the journey of an unmarried couple from Berlin to Rheinsberg, a palace in Brandenburg that was once the home of Frederick the Great. The light-hearted story seemingly relates little of significance, as the pair stroll, chat and make love. Yet it captures the spirit of what seemed to have been an innocent period, predating the tragedies of the decades that would soon follow.
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